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Perpetual Gloom 011c
12:00:51 AM Kate: She's headed for the bedroom. 12:01:13 AM Khiro: Khiro follows! 12:02:15 AM Kate: She steps in. She doesn't close the door on his face, but she looks like she'd like to! 12:02:56 AM Khiro: Can I come in? 12:03:13 AM Kate: Alydia: ... yeah, I guess. 12:03:20 AM Kate: She rubs her eyes! She has totally *not* been crying! 12:04:06 AM Khiro: Khiro goes into her room! 12:04:28 AM Kate: She closes the door! 12:06:28 AM Kate: She turns and stares at him, arms folded! 12:07:27 AM Khiro: ... Tae Li intends on destroying your city, you know. I promised her mother I wouldn't let her. 12:07:39 AM Kate: Alydia: ... great. 12:08:00 AM Khiro: You're my fiancee. 12:09:27 AM Khiro: It's not just... an engagement of convenience, is it? 12:10:40 AM Kate: Alydia folds her arms. "I'm not very good at not caring, okay?" 12:11:34 AM Khiro: And I'm not good at not caring what you think. I'm a lousy spy. 12:12:05 AM Kate: Alydia: What are we going to do? 12:16:00 AM Kate: She looks at Khiro! 12:16:43 AM Khiro: We need to talk her out of this destructive path. 12:18:59 AM Kate: Alydia: ... yes. 12:20:24 AM Khiro: I promised her mother I wouldn't let her do this. She's not a bad person. Just.... stubborn. She sees things in black and white. 12:21:01 AM Kate: Alydia: And I'm black. 12:22:37 AM Khiro: So is everyone in your city, to her. All she sees is the slavery. It makes perfect sense to her. 12:25:52 AM Khiro: I just... don't know how to make her listen to me. 12:26:16 AM Kate: Alydia: ... I don't either. 12:27:52 AM Kate: Alydia: Do you care about her? 12:30:46 AM Khiro: A little. not as much as I care about you. 12:31:39 AM Kate: Alydia: ... oh. But you *do* care about me? 12:32:12 AM Khiro: Khiro nods. "I do. Very much. I really don't like that I caused you pain with this whole.... mess." 12:33:06 AM Kate: Alydia: ... if you could just get her to stop being so *hateful.* 12:34:36 AM Kate: She wanders over and hugs Khiro. 12:35:11 AM Khiro: I know. 12:35:22 AM Khiro: I just... don't know what to do. 12:35:26 AM Khiro: Khiro hugs her back! 12:35:46 AM Kate: Alydia: ... well, this *is* a bedroom. 12:36:48 AM Khiro: So it is. 12:38:18 AM Kate: Alydia: ... I suppose she's expecting you too. 12:39:34 AM Khiro: She.... invited me, yes. 12:40:40 AM Kate: Alydia: ... well, then you can't stay, I guess... 12:42:37 AM Khiro: Do you want me to stay? 12:43:10 AM Kate: Alydia: ... if she's expecting you you probably *shouldn't.* But you could take a *little* time, right? 12:43:39 AM Khiro: You know that if you asked me to choose, I'd choose you, right? Every time. 12:45:25 AM Kate: Alydia: ... how come? 12:47:01 AM Khiro: Because you're you. 12:47:19 AM Kate: Alydia: That doesn't make any sense. 12:50:01 AM Khiro: Khiro shrugs. "These things often don't." He smiles. 12:51:33 AM Kate: She kisses him! 12:52:08 AM Khiro: He kisses her back! 12:52:48 AM Kate: Probably a curtain there. 12:52:55 AM | Edited 12:53:19 AM Kate: Does he go find Tae Li afterward? 12:55:41 AM Khiro: He would ask Alydia about it. ".... I don't know what would happen if she started feeling like she was getting pushed away." 12:58:18 AM Kate: Alydia: ... as long as you care about *me.* ... see if you can get her to stop being such an asshole. 1:00:19 AM Khiro: I do care about you. We're going to be married. 1:02:16 AM Kate: Alydia: It'll be okay, right? I won't be... embarassing or anything? I don't even know how it works topside. 1:03:44 AM Khiro: You're smart, you'll figure it out. There'll be some adjustment, but... I don't think it's that different. Except for all the sky. 1:04:53 AM Kate: Alydia: It's a lot of emptiness. 1:04:59 AM Kate: She sits up and helps him get dressed again. 1:07:48 AM Kate: Alydia: I try not to think about it. 1:08:55 AM Khiro: Hmm. 1:09:25 AM Khiro: I guess I never thought about it. Just like how when we're underground, it allways feel like when we're indoors. 1:09:54 AM Kate: Alydia: I noticed your windows were enclosed. 1:10:50 AM Khiro: Well, sure. Weather. 1:11:45 AM Kate: Alydia: Random things, falling from the sky. Worse than rocks. Snow. 1:12:18 AM Khiro: And rain. 1:12:31 AM Khiro: It's not random. 1:13:47 AM Kate: Alydia: ... I'm sure I'll get used to it. 1:13:54 AM Kate: She kisses him again. "... go on." 1:14:10 AM Kate: Alydia: ... maybe you should bring her a bottle of wine. She seems to be pretty high-strung. 1:15:09 AM Khiro: Okay. 1:15:14 AM Khiro: Khiro kisses her back. 1:15:34 AM Kate: Alydia: And try not to let her scratch you up so much. 1:15:40 AM | Edited 1:15:44 AM Kate: ((Note: It was totally Alydia that did that.)) 1:16:47 AM Khiro: all right. 1:17:04 AM Kate: Is he going to grab some wine or no? 1:17:15 AM Khiro: He will. 1:18:37 AM Kate: Knock first? 1:18:46 AM Khiro: He'll do that too. 1:19:05 AM Kate: Tae Li: Enter. 1:19:15 AM Khiro: Khiro enters! 1:20:19 AM Kate: Tae Li has taken her armor off, but she's wearing her Drow draperies. She's gone back to looking like her ordinary nonDrow appearance, though. 1:20:32 AM Khiro: I brought wine. 1:21:01 AM Kate: She blinks, obviously surprised. "... is it safe to drink here?" 1:21:30 AM Khiro: It's pretty good. And I haven't dropped dead yet. So it's probably not poisoned. 1:22:36 AM Kate: Tae Li: ... as long as you are certain we will not have to fight at a moment's notice. 1:24:08 AM Khiro: Can you ever be certain of that? Luckily I don't have to aim most of my spells. 1:24:30 AM Kate: Tae Li: ... well. All right. 1:24:36 AM Kate: She sits. 1:25:15 AM Khiro: Khiro sits as well! 1:26:47 AM Kate: Tae Li: ... I don't know how to open a wine bottle. 1:28:21 AM Khiro: Khiro opens it, and pours a couple of cups! 1:29:23 AM Kate: She takes a sip of the wine, cautiously. "So." 1:30:27 AM Khiro: So? 1:31:49 AM Kate: Tae Li: I did not think you would come here. 1:32:25 AM Khiro: I wasn't sure myself. 1:33:12 AM Kate: Tae Li: ... I am glad. 1:33:50 AM Khiro: Khiro smiles at her. "So... you don't like snakes?" 1:34:20 AM Kate: Tae Li smiles back. Slightly. It's probably one of the few times you've ever seen her smile. 1:34:27 AM Kate: Tae Li: I was bitten as a child. 1:34:53 AM Khiro: I suppose that would put people off snakes. 1:36:25 AM Kate: Tae Li: I almost died. It was... very close. 1:36:39 AM Khiro: Poisonous? 1:38:43 AM Kate: Tae Li nods. "Very." 1:38:58 AM Kate: Tae Li: ... and of course no one keeps cures around in any organized fashion at home. 1:39:21 AM Khiro: They seemed like good people. 1:40:41 AM Kate: Tae Li: They are very good. They are very aggravating. 1:41:21 AM Kate: She keeps sipping her wine. 1:41:43 AM Khiro: Aggravating? 1:43:34 AM Kate: Tae Li: Frustrating. 1:43:48 AM Kate: Tae Li: A sensible settlement would have an infirmary. 1:46:23 AM Kate: Tae Li: But they are kind, and they fight for many people. 1:46:48 AM Khiro: Khiro nods. "Your mother, what was it she called you?" 1:48:11 AM Kate: Tae Li: Kin. Another nickname. 1:48:40 AM Khiro: I like it. 1:49:22 AM Kate: Tae Li: You may use it if you wish. 1:53:21 AM Khiro: Khiro smiles. "Thanks. Is it short for anything?" 1:53:44 AM Kate: Tae Li: Kintaelia. 1:54:18 AM Kate: Tae Li: Both Kin and Tae Li are part of my name. 1:54:33 AM Khiro: Huh. 1:54:45 AM Khiro: That's pretty. 1:55:34 AM Kate: Tae Li: ... your own name is so short I suppose you have no nicknames. 1:56:17 AM Khiro: Khiro isn't my real name. 1:59:10 AM Kate: Tae Li: ... what is? 2:00:05 AM Khiro: Ran. So, even shorter, really. 2:00:36 AM Kate: Tae Li: Why do you not use it? 2:03:33 AM Khiro: I do a lot of work that requires I keep things secret. 2:04:27 AM Kate: Tae Li: What kind of work? 2:04:31 AM Kate: She keeps sipping her wine. 2:05:17 AM Khiro: Undercover work. 2:06:41 AM Kate: Tae Li: Under what cover? 2:08:54 AM Khiro: I pretend to be someone else to gather information on my nation's enemies. 2:09:31 AM Kate: Tae Li: ... a spy. Is *that* what you are doing here? 2:10:24 AM Khiro: No. I was between jobs. They encourage me to do freelance work to keep my skills sharp. 2:10:53 AM Khiro: ((I rolled a 19 SM on her.)) 2:11:26 AM Kate: She approves. Also she has a big fat crush on Khiro, but I think he knew that. 2:13:25 AM Kate: Tae Li: And your family approves? 2:14:22 AM Khiro: They do. 2:15:39 AM Kate: Tae Li: Hard to imagine an ordinary family. 2:16:30 AM Khiro: Ordinary? 2:16:38 AM Khiro: No one thinks their family is ordinary. 2:17:14 AM Kate: Tae Li: ... I had two; demons, and angels. 2:17:41 AM Khiro: I had two fathers and a mother. 2:18:44 AM Kate: Tae Li: But they were not in hell. 2:19:02 AM Khiro: No. They were pretty good to me. 2:19:59 AM Kate: Tae Li: And you have a soul. 2:20:15 AM Khiro: I do, last I checked. 2:20:44 AM Kate: Tae Li: You do not need to check. It is there. 2:21:06 AM Khiro: Oh. Well, good. 2:21:29 AM Kate: Tae Li: I can... I know it is there. 2:21:48 AM Khiro: You don't have a soul? 2:22:43 AM Kate: Tae Li: I am a soul. 2:23:16 AM Khiro: Oh. That's different. 2:23:49 AM Kate: Tae Li: If I die here, I return to hell. 2:24:40 AM Khiro: You do? 2:25:40 AM Kate: Tae Li: It is so with most demons. I do not wish to go back. 2:27:34 AM Khiro: I can't blame you. So you don't actually have a body? 2:28:02 AM Kate: Tae Li: It is one and the same for demons. Also some angels, although I am less certain of that. 2:29:12 AM Kate: Tae Li: ... I am hoping if I do some deed great enough, I will not be sent back there. 2:29:40 AM Khiro: Great enough? Or good enough? 2:30:35 AM Kate: Tae Li: Both. 2:30:44 AM Kate: She finishes her glass of wine and pours another one! 2:37:53 AM Kate: Tae Li: ... I do not want to go back. 2:38:50 AM Khiro: I can't blame you. But you know my position on this. I don't think killing a city will be that great deed. 12:30:42 AM Kate: Tae Li frowns. "Likely not." 12:32:30 AM Khiro: What do you think would? 12:33:28 AM Kate: Tae Li: I am not sure. 12:35:58 AM Khiro: Khiro is thoughtful. "I think you need to focus more on 'good' than 'great'. 12:36:15 AM Kate: Tae Li: You feel I am not *good* enough? 12:37:20 AM Khiro: I didn't say that. I think you're a good person. I'd rather be a good person than a great one, wouldn't you? 12:38:21 AM Kate: Tae Li: One can accomplish both. 12:39:38 AM Kate: She sips more wine! And shows no sign of being drunk. 12:42:27 AM Khiro: So... I assume your otherworldly constitution helps with the alcohol consumption. 12:43:16 AM Kate: Tae Li: I don't know. I don't usually drink. What languages do you speak? 12:44:08 AM Khiro: Draconic, elven, orcish, dwarven, and a bit of abyssal and infernal. 12:45:17 AM Kate: Tae Li: ... Abyssal would be easier for me. 12:46:22 AM Khiro: Khiro switches to speaking Abyssal. "Easier than common?" 12:46:53 AM Kate: Tae Li: A lot easier. Common was hard to learn; it still sounds odd to my ears. 12:47:12 AM Kate: (She's replying in Abyssal.) 12:49:27 AM Khiro: When did you learn it? 12:53:56 AM Kate: Tae Li shrugs. 12:54:25 AM Kate: Tae Li keeps answering in Abyssal. "About a year ago. I'm good with languages but Common was... unexpectedly difficult." 12:56:12 AM Khiro: So soon? You speak very well considering. Usually I have to speak a language for quite some time before I can speak as clearly. 12:57:35 AM Kate: Tae Li: I feel like I lack the nuance I have with the other languages I speak. 12:58:07 AM Khiro: How long have you been speaking Abyssal, then? 12:59:32 AM Kate: Tae Li: Since before I could remember, of course. 12:59:45 AM Kate: ((I'm not putting A: in front of everything, but she's still answering that way.)) 1:01:20 AM Khiro: ((So is Khiro, for the record.)) 1:02:03 AM Khiro: I was raised speaking elven and common, so it was never really hard to pick it up. 1:03:15 AM Kate: Tae Li: Abyssal and its related languages are so much more uniform. There are so few exceptions to the rules. 1:03:32 AM Khiro: What rules? 1:04:39 AM Kate: Tae Li: Linguistic rules. One moose, two moose. 1:05:58 AM Khiro: Given that common developed as a pidgin of other languages, it's not hard to see why it's so... chaotic. 1:08:25 AM Kate: Tae Li: And very difficult to compose in. 1:08:42 AM Khiro: Compose what? 1:09:09 AM Kate: Tae Li: Sonnets, things of that nature. Abyssal is much easier. 1:09:19 AM Khiro: You're a poet? 1:11:16 AM Kate: Tae Li nods. 1:11:51 AM Khiro: Read me something you've written. 1:13:46 AM Kate: Tae Li: ... aloud? 1:14:14 AM Khiro: Well, sure. It's just the two of us, after all. 1:14:41 AM Kate: Tae Li: ... are you certain? 1:14:56 AM Kate: She folds her arms selfconsciously. 1:15:00 AM Khiro: Yes, please. 1:18:28 AM Kate: She hesitates a little bit and then, finally, recites a poem in Abyssal. While her tone of voice is kind of wooden, and she mostly looks at the ground, awkwardly, the poem is a weirdly passionate description of a key battle in a war, almost lurid in its descriptiveness. 1:19:42 AM Khiro: Khiro smiles. "That's lovely. When did you write that?" 1:20:50 AM Kate: Tae Li: While I was recuperating from a wounded wing. 1:21:34 AM Khiro: Were you wounded in that battle? 1:22:55 AM Kate: She nods. "The chain-spear was coated with a poison meant to slay celestials; I was fortunate not to be one." 1:23:38 AM Khiro: Who were you fighting? 1:24:42 AM Kate: Tae Li smiles. "Demons." 1:25:18 AM Khiro: How many? 1:25:53 AM Kate: Tae Li: Impossible to tell; they use illusion to bolster their ranks. 1:26:24 AM Khiro: Was it just you? 1:26:55 AM Kate: She shakes her head. "No, with the ghaele." 1:29:46 AM Kate: Tae Li: They were rescuing slaves. 1:29:55 AM Khiro: Khiro nods. "You were rescuing slaves." 1:31:26 AM Kate: Tae Li: It is very difficult to get them organized enough to do anything, but they are truly formidable. 1:31:52 AM Khiro: Some of them breathe fire, apparently. Did you lead the attack? 1:32:15 AM Kate: Tae Li: No, no. I'm only a child to them. 1:32:36 AM Khiro: How did you end up with them? 1:33:25 AM Kate: Tae Li: They killed my mother, and Ardeth took me up. She wouldn't allow a child to be killed. 1:36:56 AM Khiro: I see. Must've been hard for you with them. They seem a good people, don't mistake me. 1:39:30 AM Kate: Tae Li: It was very different. 1:40:01 AM Kate: Tae Li: I don't remember much about it, before I went to Ardeth. But it was very different. 1:40:47 AM Khiro: Well, you were only a child. 1:41:29 AM Kate: Tae Li: They kept me so for a time, to make it easier. Usually succubi grow up in a week. 1:41:50 AM Khiro: ....oh. 1:43:22 AM Kate: Tae Li: They felt it would be better if I had more time to adjust. 1:44:56 AM Khiro: Were they right? 1:45:28 AM Kate: Tae Li nods. "I believe so." 1:45:59 AM Kate: Tae Li: ... they are very tolerant of strangeness in others. 1:47:27 AM Kate: Tae Li smiles. "I was very lucky." 1:47:52 AM Khiro: Khiro smiles. "I'd say so." ((Work advil work.)) 1:48:20 AM Kate: ((*hug*)) 1:48:37 AM Kate: Tae Li: ... why are you talking to me like this? 1:51:57 AM Khiro: Why wouldn't I? 1:52:29 AM Kate: Tae Li: ... people don't. 1:53:16 AM Khiro: Why not? 1:54:17 AM | Edited 1:54:22 AM Kate: Tae Li shrugs. "I don't know." 1:55:35 AM Khiro: Well, they should. You're pretty interesting. 1:55:50 AM Khiro: You're more than just a surly attitude. 1:58:13 AM Kate: She shrugs again. "... I like that you do." 2:02:13 AM Khiro: Khiro smiles. "You are pretty surly, though." 2:02:40 AM Kate: Tae Li rolls her eyes. "I don't express myself well in Common." 2:03:48 AM Khiro: Thus the surliness. 2:05:01 AM Kate: Tae Li: Thus your mistaking me for being surly. 2:06:31 AM Khiro: ...what came first, the surly chicken or the surly egg? 2:07:25 AM Kate: Tae Li: I could still flay the skin from your body. 2:07:39 AM Kate: ((Feel free to SM that.)) 2:08:24 AM Khiro: ((24!)) 2:08:52 AM Kate: It is *really* hard to tell, but she's kidding. 2:09:55 AM Khiro: I don't doubt it. My skin is not terribly hard to flay. My powers are all incredibly useless in a fight. 2:10:48 AM Kate: Tae Li: You have other skills. 2:11:32 AM Khiro: If I didn't someone would have flayed me ages ago. 2:15:41 AM Kate: Tae Li: I would not. 2:16:01 AM Kate: She reaches over and strokes the side of his face. 2:17:09 AM Khiro: Khiro smiles. "That's good. I don't think my charm spells would work on you." 2:19:01 AM Kate: Tae Li: I would prefer that you did not try. 2:19:15 AM Khiro: I like my skin, thank you. 2:20:41 AM Kate: Tae Li: I do also. 2:22:53 AM Khiro: Khiro smiles. 2:24:12 AM Kate: Tae Li, shyly: I like you very much. 2:24:23 AM Kate: ... of course, it's in Abyssal, so it actually sounds kind of scary, but. 2:27:36 AM Khiro: I'm quite fond of you, too. ((Rar rar growl death blood bowelrake.)) 2:28:28 AM Kate: Tae Li: ... and you are certain Alydia doesn't care? She seemed upset today. 2:29:22 AM Khiro: I don't want to upset either of you. I'm fond of you both. But I think we've come to an understanding. At least for now. 2:33:11 AM Kate: Tae Li: What understanding? 2:33:45 AM Khiro: She knows that I'm fond of you. That I don't want to turn away from you. 2:34:19 AM Kate: Tae Li: ... she presents many problems for me. 2:34:46 AM Khiro: How? 2:35:54 AM Kate: Tae Li: ... she's quite... likeable. 2:36:13 AM Khiro: ...and you don't want to like her. 2:37:49 AM Kate: Tae Li nods. "It will make the task more difficult later on." 2:39:47 AM Khiro: ... you know why I don't want you to do this thing you plan on doing? 2:41:18 AM Kate: Tae Li: Why? 2:42:04 AM Khiro: It's not just because of Alydia, or the innocents in the city. It's mostly because I'm worried about what it will do to *you*. 2:44:24 AM Kate: Tae Li: Must we talk about that? 2:44:48 AM Khiro: You brought it up. 2:44:55 AM Khiro: But.... no. 2:48:43 AM Kate: Tae Li: Why would you worry about me? 2:49:04 AM Khiro: Because I'm fond of you, like I said. 2:53:24 AM Kate: She kisses him! 2:53:39 AM Khiro: he kisses her back! 2:55:07 AM Kate: ((Curtain there?)) Category:Logs Category:Perpetual Gloom